Dade City planning board receives extended training on Sunshine Law, quasi-judicial hearings and public‑records duties

City Attorney Patrick Brackens delivered an extended training to the Dade City Planning Board on open‑government duties, quasi‑judicial procedures and public‑records obligations during the board's meeting in the commission chambers.

Brackens told board members the Sunshine Law is rooted in the Florida Constitution and carries criminal penalties for intentional violations: "If you intentionally violate Sunshine Law, it's a second degree misdemeanor punishable by up to 60 days in the county jail, a $500 fine, and removal from office." He emphasized three baseline requirements for public meetings: reasonable notice, public access and minutes.

The training focused on two categories of hearings board members will encounter: legislative matters (for example, comprehensive‑plan text amendments and land‑development regulation changes) and quasi‑judicial matters (for example, rezoning, variances, conditional‑use permits and site‑specific zoning decisions). Brackens said the distinction matters because the legal standards of review differ: legislative decisions are reviewed under the "fairly debatable" standard, while quasi‑judicial decisions must be supported by "competent…